Broken Promises

Broken PromisesBook Six in the Broken Seriesk.s. ruff Copyright © 2023 Ruff Publishing, LLCThis book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, locales, brands, media, businesses, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this book of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication and use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by these trademark owners.In accordance with the US Copyright Act of 1976, the scanning, uploading, and electronic sharing of any part of this book, without the permission of the author and/or artist constitutes unlawful piracy and theft of the author’s intellectual property. The only exception is short excerpts or the cover image in book reviews. If you would like to use material from this book for any other purpose other than review purposes, prior written permission must be obtained by contacting the author at ksruff.com. Please respect the rights of the author and the artists to protect their work by purchasing only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted material.Copyright © 2023 by Ruff Publishing, LLCCover art and graphic design by Rachel Christley of Christley Creatives & The Author BuddyAuthor photo by Kari Kunkel AndersonAll rights reserved. To Channa, my beautiful, steadfast, hula-loving friend,I love you. Contents Title PageCopyrightDedicationChapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 4Chapter 5Chapter 6Chapter 7Chapter 8Chapter 9Chapter 10Chapter 11Chapter 12Chapter 13Chapter 14Chapter 15Chapter 16Chapter 17Chapter 18Chapter 19Chapter 20Chapter 21Chapter 22Chapter 23Chapter 24Chapter 25Chapter 26Chapter 27Chapter 28Chapter 29Chapter 30Chapter 31Chapter 32Chapter 33Chapter 34Chapter 35Chapter 36Chapter 37Chapter 38Chapter 39Chapter 40Chapter 41Chapter 42Chapter 43Chapter 44Chapter 45Chapter 46Chapter 47Chapter 48Chapter 49Chapter 50Chapter 51Chapter 52Chapter 53Chapter 54Chapter 55AcknowledgementsAbout The AuthorA Note From the AuthorBooks By This Author Chapter 1RainI dragged my bike through the heavy door, tripping clumsily over the threshold. Tears sprang to my eyes as the pedal tore through my flesh.My jaw clenched.I braced the bike against my shoulder and trudged up the stairs. My sneakers squeaked against the wood steps. Water dripped from my hair, rolled down my nose, and splashed onto the floor. “What was I was thinking?”I swayed precariously while maneuvering around the landing on the second floor. This wasn’t the first time I’d questioned my decision to rent a third-floor apartment in a building without an elevator. Of course, I’d dismissed the inconvenience. Buildings with elevators were outside my budget. Besides, I thought the exercise would do me good. I snorted more than laughed. I hadn’t stopped to consider some totally inept cyclist might sideswipe me on the Mount Vernon Trail, tossing me like a rag doll into a mud puddle during a freak rainstorm.I coaxed my feet over the last few steps and collapsed against the wall. Three miles of cycling in the rain was not my idea of a good time.My phone vibrated. I freed the device from my armband. Kadyn’s name appeared on the screen. “Hey.” I sank to the floor.“Hey.” He sounded amused with the greeting.“What are you doing?” My eyes threatened to close.“I’m sitting in my car outside the gym. What are you doing?”“I’m sitting on the landing outside my apartment.” I cringed, regretting the mindless response. Now, I’d have to explain the cycling fiasco.He ground out a single word. “Why?”“Because I’m too tired and sore to reach up and unlock the door.” I sighed.An engine turned softly on the other end of the phone. “Explain.”Tears warmed my cheeks as the reality of what I had just been through came crashing down on me. “I was in an accident.”“Stay put,” he ordered. “I’m on my way.”I tried to object, but he ended the call. My head fell back against my bike. I couldn’t stay put. The front door was locked. Guests could only be admitted if tenants buzzed them in.I inspected the wound on my ankle while pulling my shoes off. Cycling tights clung to my calves and thighs. I’d be bruised for sure, but at least I wouldn’t have any road rash. My jacket protected my arms while the cycling gloves saved my hands. My hip and shoulder had absorbed most of the impact. I drew in a breath, eased the helmet from my head, and snapped it around the bike.With my injuries inventoried for the most part, my attention shifted to the overall state of my body. Wet clumps of hair clung to my shoulders and neck. My face felt grimy. Mud coated most of my body. I couldn’t let Kadyn see me like this. I dug my house key from the pocket in my armband, steadied the bike so it wouldn’t tip over, and pushed up onto my knees.“Was it ‘stay’ or ‘put’ that you didn’t understand?”I leaned back so I could see down the stairs. “How did you get here so fast?”Kadyn climbed the remaining steps. “Did you hit your head?” He eased onto his knees. “Does anything feel broken or sprained?”“Yes. No.” I shook my head. “How did you get in the building?”“Your neighbor let me in.” A smirk played on his lips. “I think she likes me.”“Who? Ms. Bea?” Ms. Bea lived on the ground floor. She was pushing seventy, but she had the mind, the energy, and the hormones of a twenty-year old.“White hair, purple lipstick, and ninety pounds, maybe, soaking wet?”I burst out laughing, then groaned as pain surged in my head. “That’s Ms. Bea.”“Can you stand?” He searched for injuries while talking to me. The injury on my ankle was facing the wall, so he hadn’t seen that yet.“I may need help,” I confessed. “Honestly, I’m not sure how I managed to remain on the bike long enough to pedal home.”“Our bodies release a massive amount of adrenaline when we’re in an accident, which increases our pain threshold. It’s a natural protective mechanism designed to help us overcome trauma.” His right arm slid around my back.When I tried